This invention relates generally to an air handling unit, and in particular to a reinforced floor panel for use in an air handling unit that is capable of supporting a piece of heavy air handling and acts as a thermal barrier to the flow of heat into or out of the unit.
More specifically, this invention relates to an air handling unit having modular sections each having a framework containing structural elements forming perpendicularly aligned openings rectangular openings that are closed in final assembly by panels. The panels are constructed so that they have a low thermal conductivity thereby impeding the flow of heat into and out of the unit. Seals are provided that surround the inner periphery of each panel to further prevent air from passing around the panels.
Oftentime, particularly when the air handling unit is arranged to conduct conditioned air, equipment such as heat exchanger coils used in heating and cooling system are mounted inside the unit. This type of equipment is typically rather heavy and requires that the duct work supporting the equipment be reinforced. Heretofore this reinforcing was accomplished by external braces or brackets that were generally difficult to install and which considerably added to the cost of the unit. In addition, depending whether the air is being heated or cooled, the heat exchanger coil produced a good deal of condensate which collected inside the unit. This condensate causes corrosion problems and, if allowed to stagnate, can pose a serious health hazard.
It is therefore an object of the present inventor to improve air handling units.
It is a further object of the present inventor to provide a floor panel for an air handling unit that is reinforced internally so that a piece of relatively heavy air handling equipment can be supported upon the panel.
Another object of the present invention is to efficiently remove condensate from an air handling unit that contains a heat exchanger coil.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a floor panel for an air handling unit that is capable of supporting a heavy load while still forming a thermal barrier for impeding the flow of heat into or out of the unit.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained in an air handling unit that contains a framework having modular units made up of structural elements that form perpendicularly aligned rectangular shaped openings which are closed by panels having a low thermal conductivity. The panels are locked to the structural elements and sealed in place to provide an enclosed passage for conductivity air. A high strength self contained floor panel is contained in one of the modular sections for supporting a piece of air handling equipment within the unit. The floor panel provides a thermal barrier to the passage of heat and is arranged to collect and efficiently remove condensate from inside the unit that might be generated by the internally stored equipment.